Former Turlock High and Fresno State quarterback Tom Brandstater signed with the Denver Broncos on Monday. He is expected to play behind Kyle Orton and Chris Simms.

Tom Brandstater was looking cool and relaxed in a T-shirt and a pair of shorts and sandals along the sidelines of Joe Debely Stadium last week, taking in the last day of his nearly three-week break from the Denver Broncos.He was watching players and coaches for Turlock High — his former school — take part in 7-on-7 football against Turlock Christian High, while shaking hands with his former coaches and people who wanted to meet a professional football player.And now, it’s official.He signed a four-year contract with the Broncos on Monday, along with two other first-year players in second-round cornerback Darcel McBath (Texas Tech) and fourth-round safety David Bruton (Notre Dame), according to numerous reports. The trio agreed to the undisclosed terms on the first day of rookie training camp.In a brief interview, Brandstater said he had already found a place to live in Denver, adding that life as a pro football player is “not bad at all,” before repeating the same statement. He was at the 7-on-7 football scrimmage with his father Will before leaving to join the Broncos, as his trip included visits to Los Angeles and Fresno.He was a three-year starting quarterback for Fresno State before being the 174th selection in the sixth round of the NFL Draft in April.Brandstater, 24, is expected to be the third-string quarterback behind Kyle Orton and Chris Simms. The Broncos found themselves involved in controversy during the offseason after first-year coach Josh McDaniels engineered the decision to trade Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler along with a fifth-round draft choice in the recent draft to the Chicago Bears for Orton and the Bears’ first-round pick in 2010.The shuffle eventually made room for Brandstater to be a part of the quarterback rotation.Brandstater’s visit to the Turlock High football stadium was a nice surprise for the players who were playing under the hot sun. No one expected him to be there, but it was motivation for the Bulldogs for the fall season.“The kids really look up to him,” Turlock football coach James Peterson said of Brandstater. “It makes it special for the kids.”To contact Chhun Sun, e-mail csun@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2041.